Safety At Sea Seminars
Timed to coincide with the biannual Vic Maui and Pacific Cup sailboat races, the Sailing Foundation conducts a two-day seminar on safe boating practices and safety equipment.
The latest event was presented on February 9 & 10, 2008, in Seattle. The seminar, designed and conducted by sailors, all experts in their fields, provides novice and experienced mariners with information and skills required to prepare for sailing offshore, boat preparation, handling heavy weather, recommended safety equipment, and emergencies at sea. West Marine's Chuck Hawley was the moderator for the 2008 seminar.
The two-day, US Sailing-sanctioned event is open to all cruising and racing skippers, crews and their families, recreational power boaters, as well as commercial fishermen. The program, endorsed by CRUISING WORLD and SAILING WORLD Magazines and sponsored by West Marine and Landfall Navigation, has evolved from the highly successful program developed by the Sailing Foundation and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. It will incorporate the latest techniques and information available.
The first day of the certified program is designed to meet the requirements for Safety at Sea training for offshore racers in U.S. waters. Lecture topics will include: first aid, rescue at sea, heavy weather seamanship, weather forecasting, damage control and repair, communications equipment, navigation, and personal safety equipment. The 2008 seminar also included an optional session on Sunday provided hands-on training with on-the-water demonstrations, including man-overboard recoveries, flare procedures and helicopter evacuation.
